1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to fluorescent light fixtures for use in a high moisture environment, such as refrigerated trucks, which might be regularly steam cleaned.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been known to make lighting fixtures with a generally rectangularly shaped pan to be recessed into the wall of a vehicle to be illuminated, such a device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,085 to Jackisch and assigned to the assignee of the subject patent application. Such devices, while enjoying commercial success, are not generally adaptable for use in a high moisture environment.
Fluorescent light fixtures have further been proposed for use in a high vapor environment. One such lighting fixture includes a frame secured to the perimeter of an opening in a wall for recess of the fixture and includes a channel shaped housing hingedly secured along one side to such frame and having a tubular gasket compressibly sandwiched between the parametrical flanges of such housing and an underlying lens. A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,791,681 to Dunker. Such devices suffer the shortcoming that the lens is typically held in position pressed against the gasket only by means of spring clips thus failing to afford a high integrity moisture resistant seal.
The present invention includes a light fixture pan formed with opposed side walls formed on their free extremities with downwardly facing mounting surfaces. Formed in such mounting surfaces are O-ring glands which receive longitudinal runs of an endless O-ring. The side walls are formed with laterally in turned mounting rails which engage grooves in the opposite edges of a channel shaped lens which is configured to, when engaged with such rails, press sealingly against such longitudinal rungs of the O-ring.